Monday, August 31, 2015

Back in the day, when I first started learning how to play guitar, fifty-some years ago, there was a subset of folk music called “protest music.” Redundant, the term, since folk music has always had a thick vein of that particular ore running through it, but there you go.

Most of those at the time were anti-war songs.

Soon as I had three major and one minor chord, I started writing protest songs. This was in my pre-hippie days, circa 1966, right about the time I got married. Anti-war, but also anti-hypocrisy.

Here’s the first one I did. Bear in mind I was nineteen, and soooo earnest, me planning on being the next Dylan and all …

Gather ‘round all you Christians and God-fearing men/Gather ‘round all you righteous who never do sin/Come hear me my good folks from near and from far/Come hear me you hypocrites who pray … and make war.

Ah, you say that they kill for evil and might/And so you must kill them for goodness and right/But when dust has settled, it still must be said/All the losers on both sides are still … just as dead.

You go to your churches and pray for the Reds/Then you go out and you cut off their heads/You know God is with you and you’ll surely win/All you pious damned hypocrites … and God-fearing men.

Gather ‘round all you Christians and God-fearing men/Gather ‘round all you righteous who never do sin/Come hear me my good folks from near and from far/Come hear me you hypocrites who pray … and make war.

About Me

I'm a full-time writer, not the rock singer. Mostly science fiction and fantasy. Some mystery/technothriller stuff; some animated TV, couple movie scripts in turnaround or waiting to get there. I've been a student of silat with Maha Guru Stevan Plinck for twenty years. I play guitar a little, and am learning to play the 'ukulele. It's all good.